Ice Age: Separated?
by KaylaDestroyer
Summary: This is from a 'what-if' idea I found on a forum. Even after all he's been through, Diego still longs for adventure and can't bear to live with a baby. Will Sid comply with his friend on the grounds that he will get to live with his 'family?


Hey! Yes, I have _another_ story, but I noticed that this part was pretty much finished so I figured, why not? About the summar, I had to put 'his' and 'kids' together so it would all fit.

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><p>Ice Age: Separated?<p>

Prologue

Diego bit his lip as he watched Sid hug his dino children. He didn't think the sloth was the best parent, but with the help of Momma Dino, he might not be so bad. He looked over at Buck. The insane weasel who had brought them through it all. He admired the 'hermit', as Manny called him, and wished he could get to know the weasel more. He looked over at Manny, snuggling Peaches. But he couldn't leave his herd.

And Sid couldn't stay down here either. He looked back at the sloth, telling his kids that they were where they belonged. He sighed. To see Sid acting so mature was like seeing a cub finally learn to hunt. He wanted Sid to be happy. He was a best friend! But they had to go back up top...or, did they?

"Manny?" he asked quietly. The mammoth turned to him, smiling.

"Huh? Yeah?" Diego sighed.

"I uh, need to talk with you." He nodded in the sloth's direction. "And Sid." Manny blinked, then called the third animal over. Sid waited until his children were out of sight, before turning and waddling up to his buddies, a small smile on his face.

"Hey! What's up?" he asked. Diego led the two of them away from the rest of the herd.

"Manny? I was just wondering something." he started.

"What were you wondering?" Manny asked, confused.

"If... maybe if Buck wouldn't mind, having a student or two in the field of survival, or if Momma Dino didn't mind having a silly sloth help her raise her...hatchlings. Would you, I don't know, be offended, or have a problem, with that?" he asked. Manny was silent. "Manny?" Diego asked, waving a paw in front of the mammoth's face. Manny blinked.

"You still want to abandon us." he replied. Diego shrank back.

"No no! I just, I'm," Sid stared at him, apparently lost.

"Um, what did you just say?" he asked, raising a hand. Diego sighed.

"Manny, you're always going to be one of my best friends, and so will Ellie, Crash, Eddie, and Peaches. But, I've always been an active person, I'm not the type of guy who wants to, settle down. I'm not saying it's a poor choice to make, I'm just saying, maybe we need a little personal space." Manny raised an eyebrow.

"Personal space?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes. I mean, I'm not saying I don't like your daughter, or that I don't want to be around her. It's just, all the baby stuff. I'm the kind of guy who lives for the adventures we had when we all met, like the meltdown, or when I betrayed my pack for you two! I'm not saying I don't like you, I'm saying I'm not comfortable being around an atmosphere fit for or affected by a baby." he elaborated. There was a long pause. Manny looked down at Sid, who looked back and fort between the two in confusion.

"Okay, _what_ are you guys talking about?" he asked. Diego sighed.

"Sid," he said. "if Manny permits, would you like to stay down here with your kids?" he asked. Sid's face brightened.

"Of course I would!" he answered excitedly. Then he seemed to deflate a little bit. "But, we'll visit each other, right?" he asked. Diego looked up at Manny. The mammoth was looking at the ground with furrowed eyebrows. Diego could only guess he was frowning behind his large nose. He waited to see if the mammoth would say anything.

"You can... pop by whenever you feel like it." he finally said. Then he turned and walked back to Ellie, Peaches, and the twins. Sid stared worriedly after him. Diego sighed and looked at the ground sadly. He entertained for a moment the thought of calling it all off, but the thought of having to live in an atmosphere affected by a baby for a long time changed his mind. He looked at Sid, and put on a soft smile. He put a paw on the sloth's shoulder, causing Sid to look at him.

"It'll be okay, Sid." he assured him. "I'll be here, I won't let Rudy make a snack out of you either." he said. Sid smiled at him. "Come on, let's go see if Buck doesn't mind me 'moving in', so to speak." he said. The two started back, and arrived just as the rest of the herd was leaving.

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><p>Ellie turned to see Diego and Sid walking out of the dense foliage. She smiled and gestured for them to hurry up. They smiled back and waved. She turned to Manny, confused. "Manny? Aren't Diego and Sid coming?" she asked. Many turned to look back at who Ellie thought were his best friends.<p>

They smiled and waved again. Manny just turned around, and resumed walking. They frowned sadly, and Diego's ears laid back against his head. She looked back at Manny. "Wait, I thought you were joking when you said-" She was cut off by Manny's firm glare. "Oh." she said.

Turning back around, she set Peaches on the ground and picked up her little trunk. She used her own trunk to make a waving motion. "Say goodbye to Uncle Sid and Uncle Diego, Peaches!" she said brightly, as though they would see the two the very next day. Peaches, who could clearly see her two uncles, and had no idea what was going on, gave a loud, happy coo. Diego and Sid smiled once more.

"Goodbye Peaches!" Sid called out happily.

"You take of your daddy now, ya' hear?" Diego called. Ellie chuckled. She felt Crash and Eddie scurry down her back, and watched them run over to Diego and Sid.

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><p>Sid watched as Ellie's brothers scurried over to them. Eddie stood up and put his hands on his hips, a serious expression on his face. "You two sure you can handle yourselves down here?" he asked. Sid heard Diego chuckle. He smiled.<p>

"Of course we can! You two run along and have fun teaching Peaches how to roll in dung and sling mud balls!" he said. He saw Diego roll his eyes.

"Don't overwork Buck now, Sid." Crash said seriously, standing next to his brother. This time, Diego laughed out loud.

"Don't worry, Buck and I will take turns rescuing Sid from Rudy." he said. After a moment, the twins came forward and crawled up onto Sid's shoulders, hugging his neck. Sid, although taken aback at first, hugged them back. Diego smiled at the scene. But he was surprised himself as the twins did the same thing to _him_. He froze for a moment, before smiling and managing to wrap a forearm around them. They then scurried back off onto the ground, looking at them solemnly.

"We're gonna' miss you guys you know." Crash said.

"Yeah, it won't be the same not having you two around. Like, really, not just...having no one to prank and all." Eddie added. Sid was touched. Diego gave both of their heads a pat.

"We'll miss you boys too. And not just having no one to wake us up with cold mud." he said, winking. All four of them laughed. "You two be careful during the day, Manny and Ellie won't be fast enough to grab a vulture flying off." he warned seriously.

"And have fun with Peaches!" Sid encouraged.

"We will. Bye!" Crash replied. Eddie decided to play his brother's part and thumped his chest twice, then pointed at Diego and Sid.

"See ya'!" he said. And then they were off. Sid watched all five of them leave, before turning to Diego. The saber was staring into into space, apparently thinking. "Diego?" he said. The saber looked up at him.

"Hm?"

"Should we go talk to Buck now?" he asked. Diego smiled and nodded.

"That would be a good idea." he replied. They caught up with the weasel. "Hey Buck!" Diego called. He turned to look at them, and smiled.

"Aye, Tiga'! Whot you still doin' he'ah?" he asked, approaching them.

"We were wondering if you wouldn't mind us intruding on your little paradise." Diego said. Buck stared at them. "Sid would stay with his 'kids' and I well, if you can recommend a good place to take shelter in as a home base-"

"Ya' re-ally want ta' stay down he'ah?" Buck asked. Diego and Sid nodded.

"Oh yes, Momma Dino and I get along quite well, I think." Sid replied. Buck turned to Diego.

"And wot do _you_ desire?" he asked. Diego shrugged.

"I've always been the adventure type and, well you survive down here pretty good, so I was thinking maybe until I know enough to be on my own, you could, you know teach me." he replied. Buck's eyes widened, and then he grinned.

"Ya'd both stay and share this wonda'ful place with me?" he asked. Diego nodded.

"Of course, you're our friend. Besides, Sid hasn't really gotten to meet you that well yet, so you know." he replied. Sid nodded eagerly.

"But wot about ya' famly?" Buck asked.

"We'll visit them. We might even convince them to come visit us." Diego replied. "We're not _leaving_ for good." Sid nodded once more. Buck smiled and leaned on the handle of his knife.

"Alright, but I'll have to make sure the sloth knows the rules." he said. Diego nodded, and sat on his haunches until Buck's lecture was finished.

"Rules?" Sid asked. Buck nodded.

"Aye. Rule numbah' one: Always, listen, ta' Buck!" he stated. Sid nodded. That seemed easy enough. "Rule numbah two: Stay, in the middle, of the trail!" he said, gesturing to the dirt path they all were on. Out of the corner of his eye, Sid saw Diego wince. " And rule numbah' three-!" Diego held up one paw.

"Wait, would rule number three really apply here?" he asked. Buck shook his head.

"Of course not! The new rule numbah' three is: Don't try to carry off dino eggs, cause more likely than not, the mother will hunt you down for them." he finished. Then he picked up his knife and laid it over his shoulder. "Come on then! We've got to find your dino friends and then get Tiga' a propa' place ta' sleep!"

"What about rule number four?" Diego asked. Buck stopped and turned back to them, a serious frown on his face.

"Those who ask too many question and do too little actions get less to eat for supper tonight." he stated. Diego and Sid looked at each other, the sloth gulping.

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><p>So how was that? Did I get ya'll hooked on it? Just to be clear for Dara Tavar, <em>no<em> this is _not_ the possible one-shot I was talking to you about. This should hopefully be quite a few chapters more. Review!

Diego: Wow, this place is spiffy!

Me:(sees Diego) You're not supposed to be here yet! And your look is changed! You're gonna' give it away to the readers!

Diego: (sigh) Fine, I'll go see what Shimmerwing is doing, maybe _she'll_ want my company!

Me: You're not supposed to mention Shimmerwing either! **STOP RREADING THIS NOW! SPOILERS!**


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